How 5'8'' Yuki Kawamura Made Memphis Grizzlies Roster for 2024-25 NBA Season

Just six weeks after getting a contract from the Memphis Grizzlies, Yuki Kawamura wound up making the team coming out of the preseason.

Kawamura signed the final two-way contract the Grizzlies had available before the start of the 2024-25 season.

While normally this type of deal wouldn't generate much attention, Kawamura is a unique case because of his size.

Per Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal , the 5'8" Kawamura is the shortest active player in the NBA.

He is the 13th player in league history listed at 5'8" or shorter.

The last player to appear in an NBA game listed at 5'8" or shorter was Markquis Nowell.

The 5'7" guard made one appearance for the Toronto Raptors in a 128-112 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov.

15, 2023.

Kawamura is the only player on an NBA roster listed under 6'0" going into the 2024-25 season.

He spent the past four seasons playing for the Yokohama B-Corsairs in Japan's B.League.

The 23-year-old earned B.League MVP honors for the 2022-23 season.

He averaged 19.1 points, 8.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 56 appearances.

Kawamura has also been part of Japan's national team since 2022.

The Japanese team qualified for the 2024 Olympics as the top team from Asia at the FIBA World Cup the previous year.

Even though Japan's run at the Olympics ended with an 0-3 record in the preliminary round, Kawamura was a standout in a group that also included NBA stars like Franz Wagner (Germany) and Victor Wembanyama (France).

Kawamura did all he could in Japan's near-upset of France in the group stage.

He scored 29 points on 6-of-15 three-point shooting with seven rebounds and six assists in a 94-90 overtime loss.

That performance made Kawamura just the third player since 2000 to have a game in the Olympics with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists, joining Luol Deng (Great Britain) in 2012 and Kevin Durant (USA) in 2016.

The Grizzlies wound up signing Kawamura to an Exhibit 10 on Sept.

6.

He appeared in each of the team's five preseason games, averaging 3.4 points, 4.2 assists in 15.1 minutes and showcased his unique passing ability.

Kawamura seems to have a prominent fan in the Grizzlies locker room based on Ja Morant's reaction to him receiving a two-way contract.

They also celebrated together at a 2000s-themed party for Grizzlies players and employees.

Kawamura previously made himself eligible for the 2023 NBA draft, but he went unselected by all 30 teams.

He has done everything in his power to earn this spot with the Grizzlies.

While Kawamura will likely spend most of this season playing for the Grizzlies' G League affiliate, the two-way contract gives them the ability to add him to their roster should a need arise at point guard.

The Grizzlies will open the 2024-25 season on Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center..

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